paddysnuffles:

lord-kitschener:

calmer-chameleon:

chickenonabicycle:

lady-threewhiteleopards:

altonin:

there’s a really bad cold snap happening in the UK right now (as you’ve prob noticed if you’re here) so the whole topic of what to do when you see people sleeping rough comes up again – in England and Wales don’t call the police, preferably make an in-app or online submission to streetlink (they deal with online submissions faster bc they’re primarily referral, so they’ll be passing on your information to the right people) or, if you can’t do an online submission, phone them at 0300 500 0914

In Scotland councils have a more stringent <24hr burden of care and the best thing to do is contact local authorities (again not the police), there’s a list here of Scottish organisations to contact

In Northern Ireland contact the most local office of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (that is a really out of date website but I triple checked the information and there’s nobody better)

there’s a severe weather emergency protocol that local councils can use to open up extra emergency beds for the homeless but it never happened while I was homeless so ihni how to check if it’s in effect, either way streetlink in England and Wales is still the best shout. Just because a SWEP isn’t in effect doesn’t mean the weather isn’t really threatening for the homeless – SWEPs require subzero weather for three nights in a row, but even 2-3 degrees can be really dangerous for addicts/the elderly and it feels fucking freezing on the street when you can’t go inside, trust me

obviously please call an ambulance if a homeless person seems in immediate harms way but try to make calls to the police a last resort, not least bc all the police will do is go through the internal institutional version of reporting to streetlink. if you do call anyone (but especially the police, with whom a hell of a lot of homeless have bad experiences) try to tell the person sleeping rough that you’re doing it. I get you might not feel safe doing so e.g. if you’re a woman alone at night etc etc but if you can

For Irish followers: in Dublin, you can report rough sleepers here to get them linked in with housing services, and most other town and city councils should have their protocols up on their various websites by the morning of 27th Feb  listing where emergency beds are being set up in the area. 

For Belgium:

– Brussels: I know Samusocial’s financial bullshit is fucked up but they do help people when they’re not busy being corrupt. Call 0800 99 340 to help find someone a place to sleep. They have several locations scattered throughout the city. (Link is Dutch but it comes in French and English too).

– Antwerp: sleeping spots are available at CAW: Dambruggestraat 304, 2060 Antwerpen. Call them at 03-232 08 24.

– Ghent: sleeping spots are available at CAW (Nieuwland 12-14, 9000 Gent) and Huize Troost (Gezondheidstraat 2, 9000 Gent). Call both at 0800 62 227.

These are the only ones I know of right away, feel free to add. Don’t be afraid to go to your local JAC (-25) or CAW (+25) if you need help and are located in Flanders. They won’t call the cops and will do their best to help you out. I wish I knew their Wallonian and German counterpoints, but I can’t find them online.

Don’t bother with OCMW if you need urgent help, because unless you’re lucky enough to have a caring and competent social worker, they don’t give a shit.

In Amsterdam the GGD has extra beds available apparently, you can call them on 020 555 5911 if you see someone sleeping outside but they also drive around checking themselves.

Berlin, Germany has the
Kältenotruf service. Between 6pm-midnight you can call
0170 910 00 42, or between 7pm-3qm call 0178 523 58 38l if you see a rough sleeper who’s in danger from the cold. They run a bus service where they meet homeless people to provide them with warm food/drinks, and to bring them to emergency accommodations.

Here is a list of both day and night accomodations, soup kitchens, and other services for homeless people. [webpage in German]

If the person needs an ambulance, dial 112, but try calling the winter bus first, as you get charged for ambulance runs here (and if you’re not insured…). And as everyone else is saying in the thread, please don’t call the police unless it’s an absolute emergency.

If you’re a rough sleeper who needs a place to hang out during the day, this is a friendly reminder that public libraries can’t throw you out if you’re following their rules (e.g. not being disruptive to other patrons, etc). You’re part of the public. It’s your library too.

For Barcelona I found the following info:

• Si sempre veus a la persona de nit, has de trucar als equips de carrer de l’Ajuntament de Barcelona.
  Tel. 932566650 | Pàgina web
• Si veus a la persona de dia, també pots avisar a Arrels a través del localitzador de persones al carrer. També pots descarregar-te l’aplicació de mòbil Arrels Localitzador i avisar-nos. Aquí trobes la versió per a Android i per a IOS.
• Si veus menors a la nit dormint al carrer truca al 112 o avisa al Centre d’Urgències i Emergències Socials de Barcelona trucant al 900 703 030.
• També pots informar a la persona al carrer que pot anar a demanar ajuda al Servei d’Inserció Social.
  Pg. Pujades, 29 | Tel. 932566650 | Més informació
  o adreçar-la al centre de serveis socials del barri: Serveis socials de Barcelona.
• Si la persona que veus al carrer no atén o es fa difícil parlar amb ella, pots trucar al centre d’Urgències i Emergències Socials de Barcelona (CUESB, c/Llacuna 25). Ells avisaran als equips de carrer de l’Ajuntament de Barcelona perquè passin a veure la persona.
  Tel. 900 703 030

@useless-catalanfacts this might be of interest to your followers.